


Five times Steve and Tony kissed each other platonically, and one time they made love… non-platonically

by Frankensteins_Monster



Series: Loving Avengers [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 5 Things, 5 Times, 5+1, 5+1 Things, Bisexual Tony Stark, But he obviously isn't, Confusion, Denial, Drinking, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Internal Conflict, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, N Things, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Pining, Sexual Confusion, Sexual Content, Smut, Spanking, Steve Rogers thinks he's straight, big dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:34:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28712847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frankensteins_Monster/pseuds/Frankensteins_Monster
Summary: Steve and Tony are good friends, at least according to Steve. Tony would rather snog him senseless then play another round of cards. Yet when Steve fundamentally misunderstands the casual nature of intimacy in the modern era, Tony finds himself in one of the strangest and most confusing situations of his entire life.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Loving Avengers [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059050
Comments: 8
Kudos: 190





	Five times Steve and Tony kissed each other platonically, and one time they made love… non-platonically

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually the sister fic of a SamBucky fic I wrote called Chicken Soup. The two stories are heavily intertwined and they even share a few scenes, so I highly recommend checking that one out as well.
> 
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27913615

1.

“I think you should sleep with me.” Tony said.

“I’m sorry?” Steve asked, thinking he must have misunderstood his friend somehow through some bizarre malfunction of the auditory canal.

“I think I’d like to try sleeping with you.”

Steve just blinked.

They were seated on a luxuriant couch in Tony’s home, having a drink. Steve had stuck around after an Avengers meeting, as he’d lately taken to doing. He knew he always had an open invitation to spend time with his friend after business was settled, and he honestly enjoyed Tony’s company, even if the man had made him feel a little uptight and scandalised at times with his tales of constant impropriety. Nat was always telling him he needed to ‘get out of his comfort zone’. And it seemed he’d found himself a friend who was that very quality incarnate.

Although Tony had never tried to directly involve him in said improprieties before.

Steve shook his head. “I’m not gay, Tony.”

Tony pointed with his gin and tonic. “Well, neither am I.”

“I’m not bisexual either.” Steve said, and Tony sucked at the inside of his left cheek dourly in response.

“I’m straight.” Steve said. “I’m not interested in sleeping with men.”

Tony opened his mouth to either say it was a shame, to call Steve boring, or to take another drink, when he paused and considered Steve’s words.

“So you’re not interested in sex with men.” Tony said, spotting a loophole in Steve’s argument.

“No.”

“But that means that other things are on the table?” Tony asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Like kissing?” Tony asked, heart jumping a little at the prospect of actually getting to kiss Steve, and then sinking at the fact that his chances of agreeing to that were practically zero.

Steve shook his head. “A kiss is a big deal, Tony. Maybe not for you, but for the rest of us. A kiss means something.”

“Then what if it meant something?” Tony asked, hopefully.

“What could it mean, with you?” Steve asked, and Tony felt like he’d been stabbed clean through the heart. Ow. He pursed his lips tightly together. He knew Steve didn’t mean to hurt him or say something cruel, he knew Steve just wasn’t the best at picking up signals. He collected himself.

“These days, kisses don’t mean much at all.” He responded. That was actually sort of true for him, under general circumstances. “You should get with the times, old man.” He joked, with a wry smile.

But Steve didn’t smile. All of sudden Steve looked very sad.

“I was kidding.” Tony said, hoping to erase that look from Steve’s face. From his deep, blue eyes.

“I feel so lost.” Steve said. “I wake up and I’m suddenly in this world where everything I know has changed, and everyone I love is gone, and I just don’t fit or belong, Tony I-“

“Steve.” Tony stressed. “Calm down. You’ll be ok, I promise. Everything’s going to be ok.” He took Steve’s hand and squeezed it. “Of course you fit. Of course you belong. You are friends with the most hip and happening guy on the planet. I have literally been in magazines for my forward-thinkingness and modernity. And yet lately I think I care for you more than I care for anyone else.” He grinned. “Old is so in vogue, right now.”

Steve stared at Tony, still gripping his hand. He blinked once, and then he leaned forwards.

“What are you doing?” Tony whispered as Steve drew closer.

“You want a kiss, don’t you?” Steve said. “And I want to belong in this world. I want to feel a part of it, like everyone else. So I thought I’d maybe try one of those meaningless kisses everyone keeps talking about, after all.” He pressed a kiss to Tony’s lips, sweet and soft and chaste.

“So.” Steve said casually, taking another sip of his drink. “Would you like to play a hand of cards?”

Tony lifted his fingers to brush against his own lips. “I thought I’d try one of those meaningless kisses everyone keeps talking about?” He repeated back to Steve, astounded.

“I mean, it is a little weird just kissing as friends, but it’s not nearly as awkward as I honestly expected.” Steve said. “Is this what they call ‘friends with benefits?’”

“Do you feel like you belong? A little more, now, perhaps?” Tony asked, ignoring Steve’s question wholeheartedly.

“I actually sort of do.” Steve said. “Although I can’t exactly explain it.”

2.

At the next Avengers meeting, Steve greeted Tony with a quick kiss on the lips, right in front of everybody. In response to which everybody went silent with shock. Bucky and Sam looked at each other in confusion. “What’s he doing?” Bucky whispered into Sam’s ear.

“I don’t know.” Sam whispered back.

“He can’t be… Can he? Surely not.” Whispered Bucky.

“What’re you guys whispering about?” Steve asked. “What’s wrong?”

Sam and Bucky gave each other one more knowing look.

“You could have told us if you two were together.” Sam said.

“We’re not together.” Steve said.

Bucky blinked and cocked his head to one side confusedly. “But… But you…”

“Apparently that’s a **_modern_** thing. Friends do it. It’s called casual kissing.”

Bucky turned sharply towards Sam with a look of alarm.

Sam shook his head emphatically.

Bucky relaxed. His regular human hand secretly found Sam’s under the table and Sam gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“I didn’t know you were into guys.” Bruce said. “I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just… didn’t know.”

“I’m not into guys.” Steve said.

Bruce looked confused. “Ummm. I don’t know what this ‘casual kissing’ is, then. I don’t think that’s… a thing.”

Thor put up his hand. “I’m pretty sure it’s a thing.” He said. “I’ve seen my brother Loki do it before. He has been kissed by dozens of people who claimed not to be with him. Or to be attracted to him, or to even remotely like him. On occasion they even claimed not to know him, after **_they_** kissed **_him!_** The world is really very strange these days.”

Natasha winced. “You know, I didn’t think I was capable of feeling sorry for Loki, after everything he’s done. But I feel sorry for Loki.”

“Same.” Clint said with a grimace.

“Steve.” Tony said, standing with very red cheeks and one hand across his chin. “It’s not a thing. Not… like this, anyways.”

“But you told me-”

“I was talking about something different. It was my fault, I should have been clearer about how I said it. I’m sorry.”

3.

After the rest of the Avengers left, Steve stayed behind. Tony was relieved, because he half expected that Steve might never want to hang out with him again after that debacle.

“They’re meaningless kisses. Not casual kisses.” Tony said apologetically. “And they’re not really something you do in public, Steve.”

“Oh.” Steve said. “Then that’s probably going to make things a little awkward with everybody.”

Tony sighed through his nose in agreement.

“But we can still do it when we’re in private, right?” Steve asked, hopefully.

“Yeah?” Tony breathed in surprise, as Steve leant in to kiss him.

Steve pulled back and looked into Tony’s eyes. “Just as I thought. It feels… so right.”

And Tony pulled Steve into a passionate kiss, the first open mouthed kiss they’d ever shared, and Steve reciprocated gladly. Tony’s whole body was buzzing with excitement, and he steered them both towards his couch and pushed Steve down on top of it, climbing on top of him and kissing him again.

Steve slid a hand across Tony’s cheek and soon they were making out almost desperately. And eventually Tony felt himself grow partially hard in his jeans. He moaned into Steve’s mouth and ground against him, to which Steve quickly drew away.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked, seeming genuinely confused.

Tony was at a loss for words. His lips, swollen and red from the desperate kissing, hung open. He swallowed, feeling his partial erection throb uncomfortably in his tight jeans.

“I thought we were making out. And maybe dry humping a little?”

“I’m not gay.” Steve said. “I think dry humping crosses a line.”

Tony was stunned into silence. ‘And making out doesn’t?’ He thought.

Steve got up and stretched. “Well, I think I’ll head home for tonight.” He said, giving Tony one last kiss on the lips before he left.

“What the hell?” Tony exclaimed to no one, about ten minutes after Steve had simply walked away. Did he seriously not realise? What the fuck did he mean he wasn’t gay? Because sure he always said that he wasn’t, but surely a straight guy also wouldn’t just make out with him like that! Tony was feeling very confused… and still a little horny. But mostly very confused.

4.

Things were surprisingly normal in the weeks after that. They even had a mission together involving some bad guy who was hired to steal a load of Stark tech, who the two of them took down easily. They still didn’t know who’d hired him, but Tony wasn’t truthfully all that worried. What he was actually worried about was his relationship (or lack of relationship) with Steve. Lately they were kissing all the time. In fact, after Steve had knocked out the thief, he’d pushed Tony over a crate of the stolen Stark tech and kissed him breathless before calling S.H.I.E.L.D.

That was all well and good, but now they were at Tony’s place. And they were alone together. And once again they were kissing. And they weren’t going any further.

Tony pulled away from Steve for a moment, to which Steve buried his face in the side of Tony’s neck. This was all rather lover-like behaviour, Tony observed.

“I think we should have sex.” Tony said.

“I’ve already told you, I won’t have sex with you.” Steve said, his face still in Tony’s neck.

“Then what the hell is this relationship?” Tony exclaimed, frustratedly.

“We’re friends.” Steve said removing his face from Tony’s neck and stepping back a few paces. Daring to even look a little bit put out at having to stop to explain himself.

Tony shook his head. “What? Are you a total moron, Steve? What we’ve been doing… that’s not what friends do!”

“Yes it is. Friends with benefits do this sort of thing all the time. I’ve done a good amount of research on the topic.” Steve insisted.

“Where are the benefits, Steve!” Tony said. “Because friends with benefits… fuck!”

“They don’t have to.” Steve said.

“You’re driving me insane.” Tony said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “How is it that **_you_** have been the one to put me in the most confusingly complicated sexual situation I’ve ever been in? You!”

“It’s not complicated.” Steve said. “And it’s not sexual, because I’m not gay.”

Tony shook his head and frowned. “Steve. It should be sexual. Because what we’re doing is sexual. And I want to have sex. At some point, at least!”

“You don’t need me for that.” Steve said.

Tony looked at Steve in horror and dismay. And then he slapped Steve, hard, across the face. The palm of his hand was really throbbing, even though Steve’s cheek was just the tiniest bit red. Damn super-soldier serum.

Perhaps this was karma for how he’d treated many of his past sexual partners, Tony thought. He certainly hadn’t given a damn about them, or their feelings, at all. But having someone you loved outright tell you that he didn’t give a damn about you, that was the worst feeling in the world, Tony thought.

“Get out!” Tony snapped. “Before I get my armour and I blast you out!”

“Wait! Tony! What did I do?” Steve asked as Tony pushed him through the door.

“I’ve had enough! Wake up and smell the roses, Steve. YOU ARE FUCKING GAY!” Tony yelled. He grit his teeth. “Don’t you ever show your face here again, asshole!” He said before he slammed the door in Steve’s face.

Steve stared in bewildered silence at Tony’s door. ‘No. There was no way that he was gay, right?’ He wondered. But a little part of himself wasn’t entirely sure.

Tony walked a beeline to the bar and poured himself a drink. He was getting good-old-fashioned-drunk tonight.

5.

“You know he was quite the ladies man.” Steve said, patting Bucky affectionately on the shoulder. “Like you wouldn’t believe how he once got around. This man here, was a legend. I’m not joking, he got them lining up down the block! Everywhere he went. Never missed a shot, this one.”

Sam didn’t react like Steve was hoping for him to. Steve had assumed that he might find it amusing, but Sam just looked really uncomfortable, and Steve wasn’t sure why. He didn’t look at Bucky’s face, but if he had he might have noticed that he was looking just as uncomfortable.

“Maybe you should think about getting back out there, Buck. You know, it really helps-“

“Please just stop, Steve.” Bucky whispered. It was only then that Steve saw his face. Steve let go of Bucky in surprise. He certainly hadn’t expected him to make that kind of expression. To be honest, it had always been Bucky making _**him**_ go on dates and Steve wearing the uncomfortable expression. He guessed that of all things he hadn’t expected that Bucky would change.

“Wait, Bucky! I didn’t mean to upset you.” Steve said. “Are you ok? Why are you...”

“I don’t know.” Bucky said. Then he forced an awkward smile. “I guess I’m just not ready yet. You go have fun, Steve. I’ll be alright.” He said gently.

“Are you sure?” Steve asked. He was clearly worried.

“He’ll be fine.” Sam said. “I’ll take care of him. We can do movie night.”

Steve looked relieved by that. “Alright. I trust you, Sam. Although, I didn’t realise you guys were so close.”

Sam shrugged. “He’s a great guy.” He said.

Steve smiled warmly. “Of course he is. I’m glad.”

“You too.” Bucky said to Sam. “I mean, you’re a great guy too.”

Steve was sitting at a bar, with a drink. There was pounding music overhead, there were pretty girls dancing all around him, and he’d honestly never felt so alone.

Steve was here to pick one of them up. He’d meant to come with Bucky. Bucky was always good at this kind of thing, where honestly Steve was not. But lately, there was something going on with Bucky, and Steve was worried. Perhaps he wasn’t feeling well? He just been acting so strange, and he never seemed to have the time to hang out with Steve any more. Lately he’d been getting all these texts and disappearing off to God knows where, and then simply not coming back.

He sighed into his drink.

“Hello there.” A pretty voice said, and Steve looked up to see a pretty girl.

Tony was getting drunk. And he did what he always did when he got drunk, if he wasn’t having sex, although actually he’d done it a few times during sex as well to her great annoyance. He called Pepper.

“Pepper, Pepper, I’m drunk.” He said, slurring his words.

Pepper sighed. And even through the phone and while drunk, Tony could sense the sheer exhaustion in it. “Sad drunk or happy drunk.”

“No. None of them.” Tony said. “Angry drunk.”

“Who did this to you?” Pepper asked, now sounding concerned.

“Steve.” Tony moaned. “Stupid fucking Steve Rogers. Captain Dumbass!”

“And what did he do?”

“He won’t admit he’s gay for me. He strung me along and strung me along and strung me along for ages and then told me I could go fuck somebody else if I was horny. And I really loved him! Oooh! I have missiles, right? Gimme the launch codes!”

Pepper choked on the other end of the phone. “I’m not giving you missile codes right now, Tony! And God, that’s a lot to process. Give me a second.”

Tony sat patiently on the other end of the phone, slowly nursing a drink.

“Didn’t Steve Rogers grow up in the ‘20s?” Pepper asked.

“Who cares when he grew up? Lemme blow him up with a missile!”

“Tony.” Pepper said. “You’re drunk so I’ll walk you through this. Steve Rogers grew up in the 1920s. The 1920s were not a good time for gay people. It was not something that people accepted then. It was not something that some people were even aware was possible. Don’t you think that maybe Steve didn’t actually mean to hurt you, but that maybe he was genuinely scared of the idea of feeling anything at all for you?”

Tony was speechless on the other end. Steve was scared? That’s why he was so deep in denial? It wasn’t that he was stupid, or callous, or careless, or even that he didn’t love him, but that he was scared of what his feelings made him? Of what he was, deep down?

“Oh, Steve!” Tony sobbed over the phone. And now he was sad drunk. “Pepper! He was scared! And I was pushing him so hard! Pepper, I screamed in his face that he was gay. And that was after I slapped him. And then I told him to never show his face here again! Oh God, Pepper! What have I done?”

“Mmm, ok. That’s not great.” Pepper said. “Tony. Here’s what you’re gonna do. Don’t do anything right now. You’re going to stop drinking and go to sleep. Then tomorrow, when you wake up you’re going to have as much coffee as you can physically drink. And then you will call him and apologise. Ok? Tony?”

“Ok.” Tony said, before he hung up. And then he grinned a little mischievous grin. Because, since when did he do what Pepper told him?

He immediately texted Steve.

Steve’s phone buzzed as he and the girl were having a rather boring conversation about… he honestly had no idea. She kept saying ‘tick tock’ a lot and he kept wondering if she had some sort of appointment to keep, but whenever he tried to let her go she just seemed to keep on talking to him. He had decided quite quickly that he wasn’t into her, even if he had thought she was fairly attractive at first glance. So he checked his phone.

There were a few texts from Tony.

**_I’m sorry_ **

**_And I love you_ **

**_Take all the time you need_ **

Steve instantly felt a wave of relief wash over him. Tony was sorry, so Steve supposed he hadn’t actually done anything wrong and he and Tony could go back to spending time together like they always did. Yet for some reason he couldn’t quite explain, those three little words, ‘I love you’, made him feel sort of hot and fluttery in the chest. And he didn’t understand the last part of the text at all. What time did he need to take? And what for, exactly?

Another text popped up as he was considering the previous ones.

**_30(*0*)03 Here is a koala face I know you’re frightened its ok_ **

He blinked and drew his phone closer to his face. But he couldn’t makes heads or tails of that one.

Steve shrugged and put his phone back in his pocket. He really should be going anyways, since he wanted to check on Bucky after he’d been acting so strange earlier.

Sam turned his head sharply as he heard the sound of keys in the apartment door. Oh Crap.

Steve walked right in to Sam’s apartment, Sam had sort of forgotten that he’d given him the spare key. And that he might be worried about them. “I thought I’d come by to check on-“ Then Steve just sort of froze when he saw them, Bucky sleeping in the crook of Sam’s arm. Both naked (though thankfully under the covers). In bed… together.

Sam cleared his throat. “Movie night went well.” He explained awkwardly, as Steve’s jaw dropped. And then Steve’s eyes widened. “Oh! I’m sorry!” He gasped. “I had no idea.”

“It’s… uhh… cool.” Sam said. After all, he sort of had Steve to thank for this whole situation.

Bucky began to stir. “Steve? What…” He mumbled. And then shot up into a sitting position. “What are you doing here?” He exclaimed, hastening to pull up the covers until you could barely even see his face.

“I had a… spare key. Was a little worried after our last conversation. Was checking on you. Probably gonna leave now.” Steve mumbled in one long string, pink-cheeked and looking away. “Sorry.” He added again before stepping away. “Oh, and… ummm… congrats.” He called out moments before he left the apartment and they heard the door close behind him.

Steve’s heart was pounding in his chest as he slumped against the corridor. His two best friends were… sleeping together? Bucky Barnes was sleeping with a man? Bucky Barnes was in **_a relationship_** with a man! Which probably explained his reluctance to go pick up girls with Steve. He swallowed as his phone buzzed again in his pocket. His heart pounded even harder at the thought that it might be Tony. And something started to click into place in Steve’s head. Tony, Tony, Tony, who was **_he_** to Tony? Tony just texted and told him he loved him. Tony wanted to sleep with him. And deep down Steve thought he might want to sleep with Tony too.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What was happening to him? What was he doing? What was he thinking? Holy shit! All of those times, he’d made out with Tony. Were they in a fucking relationship? And then he’d just pushed him away when he was done. Oh God! He’d told Tony he could sleep with someone else! No wonder he slapped him!

“Fuck!” Steve swore under his breath as he finally realised. “Am I gay?”

“Tony!” Steve exclaimed when Tony, still a little bit drunk and sleep deprived, but much more level-headed, let him in.

“You said you loved me?” Steve said, holding up his phone to display the text Tony had sent him.

“Yeah.” Tony said.

“By that, did you mean you wanted a relationship with me?”

“Yes.”

“You want us to date each other?”

“I do.”

Steve looked at Tony for a moment. “Tony, I might be gay.”

“You might be?”

“I don’t know. I’m so confused right now.”

“Steve.” Tony said. “It’s ok. You don’t have to rush. Take some time. Figure it out. And I know that you’ll come back to me. When you’re ready.”

Tony leaned in to press one last, chaste kiss to Steve’s lips. “One last kiss, for the road.” He said with a wry smile.

Tony let Steve out, waved him off, and then headed to bed for a good night’s sleep.

+1.

Around a month later.

Whatever Steve was expecting when Tony had first asked him to sleep with him, he was not expecting this. Tony straddling Steve while fucking himself with his fingers, his other hand playing teasingly across Steve’s cock.

“You sure you’re ready?” Tony asked.

“Yes.” The word slipped out from between Steve’s lips before he even had a chance to think it over.

Tony gave him a few final tugs, slow and gentle from the base all the way up to the head, and when he’d finished it was fully hard.

Tony had any number of jokes prepared to lighten the tension of this particular situation. A lot of them involved the phrase ‘standing to attention’ or otherwise teasing Steve about his lower half being a ‘proper little solider’ just like the rest of him. ‘An eager “Captain America”’, ‘Stand tall for your countryman’ …or something like that.

But what Tony wasn’t prepared for, at which he found himself in fact a little speechless, was the sheer girth of the thing. It was huge! It really wasn’t fair that a man who barely even uses his dick should be blessed with such a big one. Although considering what Tony was about to try and do with it, well, he didn’t know whether to be excited or a little scared by the prospect. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and imagined how good it would feel when Steve was inside him.

Steve’s hands moved to rest around his shoulders, and Tony opened his eyes to see Steve’s face, lit up with a strange combination of concern and lust.

“Tony?” He asked, like his name was a question.

“Just getting ready for you, big boy.” Tony reassured him. “You ready for me?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah.”

Tony was glad that Steve had brought some appropriately sized protection. He rolled the condom down onto Steve’s enormous erect dick before positioning himself on top of it, and then slowly lowered himself down onto it. He gasped and moaned a few times at the feeling, and Steve watched him do it with this amazed look like he couldn’t believe he could be this lucky. Like Tony Stark was a fucking angel.

“Can… can I move?” Steve asked nervously, his hands now moving to rest lightly on Tony’s hips.

“Yeah.” Tony said. “But start slow.” He added, knowing he would struggle with a full-force fucking from a weapon of Steve’s size.

“I love you, Tony.” Steve whispered, as he began slowly thrusting in and out.

“Steve.” Tony said Steve’s name with warmth and passion, looking deep into his eyes. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you… for a very long time.”

Steve captured Tony’s lips in a kiss as he quickened his pace. Tony moaned into Steve’s mouth as he brushed past his prostate, sending tingles of arousal and excitement flowing through his entire body.

Then Steve went and stroked Tony’s dick in long, sensual strokes. And Tony couldn’t stop himself from crying out at the feeling of dual stimulation.

“Do you like that?” Steve asked with a low chuckle as Tony thrust himself both up into his hand, and down onto his cock.

“What gives you the right to be so fucking sexy?” Tony grumbled in embarrassment. “You’re supposed to be a prude, remember?” The flush in his cheeks giving away his lack of any real annoyance.

Tony jumped in surprise as Steve slapped him lightly on the ass, with a cheeky grin, in response.

“Oh!” Tony exclaimed, his voice growing husky from pleasure. “Oh! Do that again.”

Steve complied and did it once more, and Tony shuddered and came.

Steve let go of Tony’s dick then, and moved both of his hands back to Tony’s hips, bucking up only a few more times into him before he also came.

Tony lifted himself off of Steve before collapsing contentedly back on top of him, burying his face in Steve’s chest.

“How did **_you_** know that I liked getting my ass slapped?” Tony asked suspiciously.

“Pepper might’ve mentioned it. When I called this morning and asked if you were free for dinner.”

“Mmmm. Pepper’s getting a raise then.” Tony said, whilst wrapping his arms around Steve’s broad torso and snuggling in as close as he can.

Things were rather interesting at the next Avengers meeting. Sam and Bucky, who had long since come out as a couple to everyone there, walked right into the meeting room where everyone was supposed to be meeting within the next twenty minutes, to find Steve and Tony passionately making out in Tony’s chair.

Bucky started spluttering in shock, his cheeks quickly reddening, while Sam simply folded his arms and smiled knowingly. “So, are you guys back to doing this ‘casual kissing’ thing again, or…”

“Nope.” Steve said with a playful grin. “Casual kissing sucks. We’re together.”

“You guys are early.” Tony complained, as Steve got off his lap and stretched his arms in the air.

“Not as early as you think.” Bucky said quietly.

Tony checked his watch and winced. “Oh. Well, never mind.”

There was a knock at the door and Clint Barton’s voice yelled out. “Just making sure it’s all clear in here before I come in. I do not want to walk in on anyone’s good time again, I was already scarred for life at the Christmas party.”

Bucky blushed even harder. “I put a thing on the doorhandle!” He yelled out. “Because I didn’t want you to just walk in there either! You’re not the only one who’s scarred for life by that!”

“How naked did he see you two?” Tony asked Sam curiously as Clint peeked cautiously through the door, and then went in.

Sam bit his lip to hold back what was probably a cheeky grin. “ ** _Naked_**.” He confirmed. “And busy. And he did put a thing on the doorhandle, Clint.”

Clint only groaned in response.

Steve and Tony waited until all of the Avengers had arrived, and then Steve cleared his throat.

“I have something to tell you all.” He said. “I wanted to wait until you were all here to tell you. And you’re all here now, so…” He took a deep breath and braced himself. “Tony and I are together. We only recently made it official.”

“Congratulations!” Thor exclaimed immediately in his hearty, booming voice. “I would raise a toast, but since I have no drink… I will raise Mjolnir in your honour!” He said, lifting his hammer as a gesture of respect.

“Yeah, Nat and I already figured.” Bruce said.

“You’re perfect for each other!” Nat chimed in. “I always thought you’d balance each other out nicely! Didn’t I always say that, Bruce?”

“She did. She always said it.” Bruce said wearily.

Clint looked dismayed. “Great. Now I have to watch out for **_more_** things on doorhandles.” He said. But everyone ignored him.

Sam whooped and clapped for them while Bucky raised an eyebrow. “I guess there’s no accounting for taste, Steve.“ Bucky muttered.

“Hey!” Tony exclaimed. “I’m taste! I’m tasteful! Steve, tell Bucky I’m tasteful!”

Steve smiled and moved in to kiss Tony. “He’s just feeling sour because you’ve been taking up all my time, lately. He is my best friend, after all.”

“I thought Sam was your best friend?” Tony said.

“He is. I have two best friends. And I was as surprised as anybody that they ended up together.” Steve said. Then he snapped his fingers. “Hey! Maybe we should go on a double date sometime?”

“With these assholes?” Tony joked, while Bucky sent him a glare that honestly scared him a little.

“Actually if it weren’t for ‘these assholes’, we never would have gotten together.” Steve said. “Because they were the ones who helped me figure things out.”

“Really? How?” Tony asked.

“At the time, I might have been just oblivious enough to just walk into Sam’s apartment unannounced without realising what they might be doing.”

Bucky frowned at Sam. “Why **_does_** that keep happening to us?”

Sam shrugged. “I don’t even think that one counts. We’d already finished up our business by that point. And I think you were asleep.”

“So, how…” Tony asked.

“It was realising that Bucky was **_with_** Sam that made things click into place for me.” Steve said. “Because it made me realise that I was actually sort of **_with_** you. And that maybe I wanted to be **_with_** you in the future too. As a couple. And that it was… ok.”

“In that case I really ought to thank you, then.” Tony said to Sam and Bucky. Then he turned to Steve. “Huh. I’d always thought it was my drunk texting that did the trick.”

Steve snorted. “Tony. I still don’t have a clue what that meant or said. Well, aside from the ‘I love you’. I got that part loud and clear.” He said as he leant in and gave Tony a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like what I do here you can follow me on twitter @Writer_Monster or on my tumblr where I’m writer-monster


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